On a quiet, starry night in early October, my
husband and I pulled out of our driveway and followed detailed instructions to
a bucolic place on Whiskeag Road to join our friends for Friday Wine Night. We
needed the road map because this was the first time Wine Night was taking place
on the north end. Since Joe and I are both from away, and we’re still relative
newcomers, Whiskeag Road was unfamiliar territory, and we were grateful for an
invitation to explore it. With my smart phone in hand, I happily read our
hosts’ email out loud: “…head toward the golf course...There’s a sunflower on
the mailbox…Pull forward around driveway, then back in on the grass on the
right side…Watch out for chickens. Bring a flashlight.” I thought the part about chickens was comical,
but as we pulled on to the grass, I heard some loud clucking, and when I
stepped out of the car, I saw a mother hen wandering dangerously close to the
rear tire. Our hosts weren’t kidding, and their loving instructions probably
saved the life of at least one chicken!
In the middle of a field, I looked up to see a cozy
house with its windows all lit up and a side porch filled with friends, and I instantly
felt the magic of Whiskeag Road. Within a few minutes of entering the house, I
met a smart, young woman, who told me she was a junior at the University of
Vermont, and she was studying nursing. We started to talk about health care,
and how important the nurse’s role was for a patient’s recovery. It was a
rather serious exchange of ideas for a Friday night, but that’s why I love Wine
Night and Bath so much. Before we closed
our conversation on medicine, I confessed to the young student that I was a
teacher, but I came from a family of nurses. In fact, all of my female cousins
had attended hospital nursing programs in New York City. I was the only one who had
chosen a different path. But to this day, I hold all nurses in high regard.
That comment must have pleased her because she answered it with a smile so genuine
that my heart filled with hope. Funny, the orange and gold hues of autumn are
beautiful, but falling leaves can also bring us down. As a high school teacher,
I’ve come to believe that talking with a bright, young person can be incredibly
uplifting. On October 7, 2016, a student nurse’s positive energy lifted my
spirits higher than wine ever could.
 |
| Wiebke Theodore shares Bath Freight Shed Alliance plan |
With a renewed spirit, I woke up the next morning
and convinced Joe to accompany me to the Farmers Market. It was the sunniest
Saturday in all of October, and it was also AutumnFest! What a great day to be in
Bath! Along with all of my favorite vendors, like Beryl’s Pastries, Big Barn
Coffee, and Sheepscot Flowers, there were almost 40 tables set up by
non-profit organizations to celebrate Citizens Involvement Day. Our first stop was at the
table for the Bath Freight Shed Alliance. Lucky for us, the BFSA representative was Wiebke Theodore, one of
the founders who established the alliance in 2009. Now in its seventh year,
the alliance may merge with Maine’s First Ship. The Virginia Project hopes to launch its completed ship within the next few years, and it plans to keep it afloat on the Kennebec
as an educational vessel.
Looking forward, the alliance anticipates converting the Virginia's boat
shed into demonstrational gardens while they continue to improve the Freight
Shed. Built in 1894, the Freight Shed is now home to the Winter Farmers Market,
which will be opening on November 5th for its fifth market season.
It also serves as an inviting space for community events and exhibits. The alliance plans to continue developing the role of the Freight Shed as an access point to
Bath’s RiverWalk. Joe and I were first introduced to the Alliance's cause when we attended
a New Year’s Eve fundraiser at the Freight Shed in
2014. With a bonfire blazing outside, and twinkle lights glowing inside, the historic
shed was completely transformed, and the Bath community was able to rock in the
New Year with live music! As Wiebke Theodore’s tenure as President of the Board
comes to a close, it was a joy to meet her and thank her for her vision and
leadership. In addition, we had the opportunity to see her just-off-the-press
print of what the Bath Freight Shed will look like when the RiverWalk, the
Virginia, and the demonstration gardens are complete! Looking back, it was
fortuitous for Bath that Wiebke and her husband opened up an architectural
office in the Customs House overlooking the tired, old freight shed. Together,
they imagined a revived space that an entire community could enjoy, and then helped bring
that dream to life.
Joe and I had another serendipitous moment as we
strolled through Waterfront Park on that sunny Saturday morning. We bumped
into the student nurse from UVM and her mom, and I had a chance to introduce
them to Joe, another native Vermonter. In our group of four, I was the only
non-Vermonter, but I didn’t feel left out or disconnected. I understand that
Vermonters need to share their love for Burlington, Rutland, Bread Loaf and
skiing whenever they can. When there was a brief pause in the conversation, I felt compelled to mention that my favorite book series as a young girl was Cherry Ames, which started with Cherry Ames, Student Nurse in
1943 and ended with Cherry Ames, Ski Nurse Mystery in 1968. (For the record, I
read these romantic stories in the 1960’s.) The series consisted of 27 volumes. Helen
Wells wrote volumes one through seven, and seventeen through
twenty-seven. While Wells took a hiatus, Julie Campbell Tatham authored volumes
eight through sixteen. Frankly, it’s a mystery to me why I shared this memory of out-of-print books, but I suspect it’s because the young student nurse standing by the Kennebec reminded me of the
rosy-cheeked heroine, Charity "Cherry" Ames. And to my delight, the UVM student and her mom expressed an interest, so I decided
to share a secret: Bath’s used book store as well as an antique shop in Brunswick occasionally obtain copies of this treasure. In fact, I found and purchased two first editions! With that
revelation, the lovely ladies from away were hooked and planned to go book-hunting
that afternoon! We said goodbye with an amazing lone guitartist singing folk songs in the background. Does anyone know his name?
 |
| The Distinguished Judges of AutumnFest |
In hopes of extending
the good feeling of AutumnFest, Joe and I strolled up the street to the polyrhythmic
music of the Maine Marimba Ensemble, and I took pictures of the scarecrows in front of the shop windows. Along the way, we encountered the distinguished Scarecrow Judges from the Land of Oz!
They were the happiest judges I have ever seen. Perhaps that’s because they
were in Bath! I don’t know all of their final decisions, but I do know that
Lisa-Marie’s Made in Maine entry, a moose lobsterman, won the prize for
“Most Hilarious,” and I whole heartedly agree! Lots of children, young and old,
wanted to pose with that scarecrow. Even Oakie, the acorn, tried to make
friends with Lisa Marie’s whimsical scarecrow! I have the picture to prove it,
and I believe the biggest snowstorm and the coldest winter night, will not be
able to erase the golden memory of autumn in Bath!
 |
| A boy, an acorn, and a moose lobsterman scarecrow on Front Street, of course |
